“Don’t be difficult, Westin,” Alex snapped.
Even when they needed something from me, he couldn’t hide his disdain. Now it was harder to keep my feelings in check.
“Don’t be difficult?” I asked, raising my voice. “Fuck this, and fuckyou. You’ve treated me like shit since I was a child. I was a hurting little girl, and you treated me like an inconvenience. You hired someone to attack me, torapeme. And now, when you’re finally facing some small bit of justice for what you’ve done, you can’t even pretend to be nice? Why would I ever want to live in that fucking house where you mistreated me? Even if I did, I can tell you confidently that I would never give you a single fuckingcent. I hope you enjoy the rest of your lives in poverty, living as social pariahs. Or better yet, you’ll enjoy the last of your pathetic days in prison, if there is any true justice in the world.”
I ended the call with shaking hands and Gray was there, his arms solid around me. My lip trembled.
“Why can’t they love me?” Hot tears streamed down my cheeks.
Bear gripped my face with both hands, forcing me to look at him. “None of it was ever your fault. None of it.”
I nodded at my alpha, who knew plenty about being mistreated by the people who were supposed to care for you.
My guys piled around me. Henry’s lips skated along my jaw, and I ran my hand through his sleep-mussed hair. “Do you really think they will go to prison?” I asked him.
“Yeah, darling, I do.”
I closed my eyes and breathed in his light floral scent.
114
GRAY
“You’re taking me… dancing?” Westin looked between me and Liam with a completely bewildered expression.
I pulled her in close, my arms tight around her. I was trying not to be too overbearing after everything that happened yesterday. I wanted to wrap her up in her nest and force her to talk about her feelings, but I was learning that Westin needed time to process things. I pressed my face into her silvery hair, grinning as I imagined what my girl’s response would be to me hiding her away. She wouldn’t have it, and as much as her risk-taking terrified me, I loved her for it.
“You’re looking at me like I asked you to case a joint,” I said, echoing the words she’d spoken to me one of those first days I was her bodyguard. Her smile told me she remembered.
“Honestly, that seems more likely thanyouinviting me to dance,” she said.
We had chartered a yacht for the rest of our time in Greece. This morning, we docked on a new island, one that Liam and I had specifically chosen for our plans tonight.
“Does that mean you don’t want to go?” Liam asked.
“No, I want to,” Westin said quickly. I grinned. I loved this girl so much. “But I don’t have anything to wear.”
“I ordered you something, princess.”
“You’re spoiling me, daddy.” She nuzzled into my neck.
“Always,” I promised.
The air pulsedwith music as we neared the beach. I tightened my arm around Westin’s waist as we were jostled by a group of drunk betas.
Fuck, I was way too old for this. But the excitement in Westin’s eyes as she accepted a drink from Liam made it all worth it. I wanted her to know I accepted all the parts of her.
And maybe I selfishly wanted her to see me asfun.
We all downed our drinks before Westin pulled us onto the beach with the throngs of people dancing and drinking. The DJ shouted for everyone to put their hands in the air and Westin did, her hips swinging side to side, all tantalizing temptation in her short black dress. I gripped her hips, pulling them against my cock so she could feel what she was doing to me. A moan slipped from her lips as she ran her hands up my chest before settling them around my neck. She pulled my head down to press her lips to my ear.
“I hope you have plans to fuck me after this, daddy.”
I groaned, holding her tighter against my hard-on. “Who says I can wait until we get back to the room?”
Her eyes widened and her lips parted as she realized what I was saying. Liam moved her hair to the side, kissing a line down her neck and she whimpered, leaning her head back against him.
I loosened up as the night went on, partly thanks to the drinks I kept downing, but mostly because of my omega. Her joywas infectious, her dance moves sensual, and everything about her utterly captivating.
